Paint it purple: A guide to Spirit Day

If your friends look a little purple Friday, it’s for a good reason. It’s Spirit Day.

The second annual holiday brings together purple-clad supporters of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) community to speak out against bullying.

Brittany McMillan started the celebration by posting a message on her Tumblr in October 2010 asking people to wear purple in honor the rash of suicides committed by gay youth. The goal’s to end homophobic abuse, which is the impetus for many of the tragedies.

“Purple represents Spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that’s exactly what we’d like all of you have with you: spirit,” she proclaimed. “Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality.”

McMillan created a purpled-hued picture with newspaper headlines talking about the deaths. It quickly went viral on Tumblr, racking up 30,000 notes.

Her declaration didn’t go unnoticed. The holiday gained prominence through social media mentions, celebrity endorsements, and recognition by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) as a national event. This year, GLAAD launched a dedicated webpage to spread word of the day’s purpose.

If you’re feeling the spirit, here are some more ways to celebrate the purple-colored day.

Facebook

GLAAD created a dozen graphics for fans to show their support. Splashed against a purple background, it reads “I am against bullying,” with a common identifier (i.e. mom, dad, lesbian, etc.).

Supporters can also had a purple glaze to their profiles using Twibbon or add a special Facebook cover photo that declares your support for Spirit Day. Also, you can like GLAAD’s Facebook page to keep up-to-date with the latest news. You can even RSVP to a rally being held in South Carolina by Internet personality Tyler Oakley.

Twitter

You will probably see a lot of people tagging their tweets with #SpiritDay. More than 19,000 tweets with the hashtag have been recorded to date, according to Topsy, a social measuring service. Supporters are also encouraged to change the color of the Twitter avatar to purple using Twibbon.